Telezia
by PandaDara
Summary: A story of an Elf's rise to power


Telezia

A thriving, effulgent forest. Tree branches drooped from utter abundance and indulged in the golden rays that shone from above. Speckled with dashes of greens and yellows as their branches lazily transitioned to the next cycle. A clearing filled with the clamoring of excited voices. Green clothes and long ears on all of them, surrounding an individual elevated on a moss covered stump. A single voice rings out through the clearing and as if it casted a spell of silence, the entire forest fell still.

"Are you really all you're cracked up to be?" Said the tall lithe Elf, surprising to the speaker who froze. Caught in the middle of one of their many stories, arms in the air. They attempted a recovery from their odd pose and returned to a neutral one. She looked over at the interruption.

"Wh-what?" The speaker managed to stammer out, still trying to fully regain their composure. Which was further thrown off upon recognizing the person before them. They hadn't expected to see this nuisance again so soon after humiliating them only a few days prior.

"You're supposedly the Blessed Fruit, the greatest of all of us Elves," the Elf said. The crowd parted around her and offered the girl space to speak to the storyteller. The Elf raised her arms and gestured to the crowd, signaling them to reinforce her words. "But I haven't seen you prove your worth or done anything for our kin. All you have done is talk a big game."

The crowd nodded along with the intruder. They've listened to the Speaker's stories of their greatness for many years now. Now they wanted legitimacy for the stories. Justification for the pedestal that the Speaker proclaimed they deserved. The speaker stood there, slack-jawed.

The Elf clasped her hands together in a prayer and raised the pitch of her voice, "Efthemia the Hero, the one who finally slew the Silosen that tormented our people for decades." Clearly mocking the speaker. "But that story is a thinly veiled lie! You stole the credit of our sisters that went with you and died. Your entire image is built upon their corpses!"

"Now hold on!" The accusations quickly snapped Efthemia back into reality and revitalized her shattered composure. She attempted to interrupt the girl with her own interjection, but it was too late to stop her. The crowd's attention was on the intruder who was on a roll that drew them in deep.

"I spoke to some of the survivors you know. They were completely torn up when they managed to drag themselves back home, a lot of them were holding their guts in with their bare hands. They were abandoned by _you_, the supposed hero." The girl recounted the dark side of the tale. Many faces in the crowd turned downcast. They also witnessed the return of Efthemia's group. The vast majority of the group were unable to be saved, despite making it home. "They told me that at the first sign of danger, you stayed back and allowed them to get slaughtered. Waiting and hiding until you could swoop in and take the glory for yourself."

"Trianna, it wasn't like that a-!" Efthemia's pleas were cut short once again. This time by the jeers and looks of the crowd. Many of them wearing a face filled with anger and frustration. They saw injustice. A useless and brutal sacrifice of their sisters for a mere fraud.

"All you really did was drag that beast's corpse to our gate along with Flare. Who was so injured she couldn't even remember the events of the mission when she regained consciousness. She was the one who did all the work to take the Silosen down and you stole her credit!" Due to the number of casualties and trauma inflicted on Efthemia's group. Very few Elves outside of the group, even within, had been able to receive an accurate account of the events of the mission.

With the situation quickly coming out of hand, Efthemia made a desperate attempt to regain control. Her voice raising now that Trianna had stopped for a breath. "So you don't think I did it then?" Her gear shift was nearly complete and her voice rang out with confidence. Attempting to call out the intruder of her world with a challenge. "How about you join me _outside_ the barrier and I'll prove it to you?" A hand rested on her hip, confident that her bluff wouldn't be called.

"That's exactly what I've been waiting for! Tomorrow, once the sun crests below the tree line." The crowd and Efthemia had a collective gasp, at Trianna's dedication to taking Efthemia on directly and her lack of hesitation of breaking a taboo of Elven society. Traveling outside of their home, Anu Arendel, and out into the Ancient's Forest is strictly forbidden by the Elder. The further out one traveled the more unimaginable beasts and monsters roamed, along with the deadly war machines and contraptions left behind by the Ancients.

The crowd became excited, a sort of electricity and energy filled the air. Thinly covering the air and making it difficult for the two to breathe. Their heart rate picked up. They both knew there was no backing out for them now. They called each other's bluffs and now needed to make due on their word.

Despite all the onlookers that were present the previous day. The only ones who appeared were Efthemia, Trianna and Flare. Flare would be their witness, as nearly everyone trusts her word. Very few Elves were universally trusted like Flare was. But that may have just been pity for her troubles.

Efthemia was dressed in her usual attire. It resembled the one worn by many newborn Elves. While newborn Elf outfits were a deep and vibrant green, attempting to mimic the shoots of plants peeking their way through the soil, hers was a much more mellowed out and mature green. Clinging onto a deeper and less saturated tone. Her clothes also contained several more layers than the standard outfits, it increased the complexity and accentuated the intricate designs woven into the fabric. The one-sided sleeves that extended from her shoulders and draped over her arms had a delicate white symbol stitched into them.

Trianna wore a much more advanced version of the standard green leaf outfit. While not much more complicated than Efthemia's, this one instead used a soft yellow colored trimming and a much brighter color. She also added extra layers in ways that weren't customary in Elven culture. A few of them seemed sewn on by hand. They added a certain distinction to her presence and matched well with the several strips of Elven metal stuck to her body. They were pieces of armor that she managed to get her hands on. The metal was a deep light bronze with distinctive green patterns of banding and mottling resembling flowing water coursing through the surface. She also wore a headband with a similar design to her clothing, holding her blonde locks out of her eyes.

"What's with that getup? Are you that afraid we'll be in trouble?" Efthemia said, taunting and goading Trianna, hoping to pick at her nerves and have her turn back. Unfortunately, Trianna merely turned away and ignored her.

Generally, in Elven society, the more vibrant and fantastic the clothing, the more status one holds. This rule holds for all of Elven-kind except for one exception. Flare was dressed extremely carefree. She broke any semblance of customary tradition or similarity to many of their kind. Her clothes were loose and simple. A muted blue with a similarly matching red trim. Only a few pieces all together being draped over her body. Resembling robes with long flowing sleeves. Her boots matched up with the color of her reddish-blue hair. She was dressed as if she was attending a picnic, rather than a dangerous excursion. Efthemia would have laughed if she was alone with Flare and wasn't so frustrated.

The three met at the base of the Tree of Life. The cornerstone of their society and culture. Among its very branches and roots lay Anu Arendel, the capital city of the Elves. At the base of the tree lay the core of the economic flow of Anu Arendel. A massive market filled with all trade and arts. They walked down the path and through the crowds of Elves that browsed the wares.

The air was filled with the enticing and addictive smell of freshly baked goods. The distinct tings of hammers striking metal and the hiss of quenched metal reverberated through the area. The blacksmiths were rushing to finish their work as their last bits of strong light waned away by the second. Their large workshop sent little plumes of smoke and steam into the air. It was built of wood that was raised to be highly resistant to rot and heat. Having as much want to catch fire as any type of stone. Less than a dozen Elves practiced the art of blacksmithing, including their pupils. Despite their number, they were expected to supply the entirety of the supply of Elven metals and refined materials. No other smith in the world knew how to create the Elven alloy. Thus, their contributions were unparalleled.

Very few Elves wished to inherit their work though. The idea of sweating over a hot forge through all hours of the day, being covered in soot and dirt. Growing defined, considerable muscle mass and having short hair or tied back hair. The image wasn't attractive to any of them and too limiting to allow them to show off as much as they wanted. The group approached the blacksmiths, they practiced openly in a form of advertisement. Efthemia shortly watched a stout elf work. She smashed a glowing white hot chunk into an anvil with a hammer, sparks flew with every hit. Between every few hits, she would toss a yellowish powder onto the glowing hot pile and beat it into the slab.

Flare had been skipping around, floating between each stall to ogle at all the wares and items, paying special attention to the baked treats. Her puppy dog eyes and the way she flapped her arms when excited nearly cracked Effie's wallet. Flare eventually made it back within speaking range of the other two. "Hey Effie, what's that powder they're using?" She asked, head tilted to the side.

Efthemia shook her head and continued walking along. Many of the other artisans, painters, silk spinners and craftsman were packing up shop for the day. Their respective crafts required a strong and consistent light for accurate and consistent work. They refused to rely on the flickering of the lightning bugs kept within the lanterns. Torches and flame were seldom used as light sources by the Elves.

The group soon came up to a massive fort and the smells of the forest and the market fade behind them. Being replaced with padded dirt and thin air. The walls of the fort were formed by several dozen massive logs planted vertically. Held together by several feet of cut-resistant and highly durable rope. Within lay a large training yard and several storage areas that contained the vast majority of the weapons and armor of the Elven military. They could hear the quiet thuds and distinct sounds of metal clashing upon metal of the many trainees and veterans practicing inside. The insides of the fort let off a soft yellow glow. They skirt off the main path and follow the walls closely.

They stopped right at the fringe where the vegetation was allowed to grow freely. The boundary line of Anu Arendel's influence. The density of plant matter and greenery was several times thicker and much wilder on the other side. The smell of vegetation filled the air.

"We're here," Effie motioned for the group to slow down. "Remember what we talked about, the second we cross the barrier they're going to send hunters after us. We need to be fast. If we can get to at least the Anchor Tree, they'll wave off and we'll be free to explore the forest as we please," She said, stretching out her arms trying to exaggerate the distance as much as possible.

"The Anchor Tree…" Trianna becomes lost in thought for a few moments trying to gauge the distance they would have to travel. The tree was a famous landmark to the Elves. There were dozens of theories about it and the many giant floating rocks that were attached to it by massive chains. No one knew of its origin or purpose or how the rocks floated so effortlessly.

Flare was already bouncing on the balls of her feet, prepared to blitz her way through the forest. Among the trio, Flare was easily the most acrobatic and versatile when it came to traversal. A direct consequence of her hyper-activeness. Effie really admired that she refused to change despite everything that happened to her. Even being unable to move for an entire year didn't change the girl.

The yellow shimmer in the air was easily spotted, it lay beyond the fringe. It indicated the barrier that surrounded Anu Arendel. The barrier waved and flowed like water, like a silk net being blown by the wind. Impossibly light and thin but at the same time incredibly dense and massive. The origin of the barrier was at the heart of the Tree of Life behind them. A large visible golden glow emitted from the heart of the tree and spilled out the top. Shooting forth the light into the air and coating it with the golden brilliance. Dispersing the particles in the air like a spring fountain shoots water.

Trianna took a deep breath and crouched down. Bouncing a few times and clapped in an effort to hype themselves up. Waiting for the moment where their nerves would steel. A few short beats later, she took off sprinting. "Catch me if you can!" She said, taking the deep dive through the foliage.

Flare laughed at Effie's dumbfounded face for a moment before taking off herself, trailing right behind Trianna in a few long strides. With a curse Effie chases after them, soon managing to catch up to Trianna. She looked surprised at the fact and suddenly redoubled her efforts.

"I bet you can't keep up with this!" Trianna said, picking up her pace and darting between the trees. Side jumping to avoid any obstacle and maintain her momentum the whole way through.

Effie quickly matched Trianna's new pace and decided to set her own. "Too easy! How about this!" She said, while crouching down and taking a mighty leap into the trees. She landed on a flexible branch and used it as a spring to propel her forward into the next tree.

"That's nothing, watch this!" Trianna said, taking a leap forward and grasping onto a low branch and allowing her momentum to swing herself upwards. Letting go to allow herself to be propelled into the air into a cannonball. Once she began accelerating downwards her body opens up and immediately grabs hold of the next available branch and launches off again.

"This is so much fun!" Flare said, easily performed their tricks herself and many more of her own improvised tricks that just came naturally to her. The two of them didn't dare challenge Flare in acrobatic ability and instead focused on pushing each other further. They didn't want to admit it, but those two were having as much fun as Flare did with their newfound freedom.

They continued egging each other along for a short time. Until suddenly their eyes became flooded with smoke and their nose clogged with ash. As if they had just stepped through a doorway into a kitchen filled with smoke. The all stopped together within the same tree, hands over their mouths and heaved with heavy breathes.

Effie's blood boiled, her limbs burned and she felt light headed. She knew her stamina was already much further ahead than her fellow sisters, but she hadn't expected someone other than Flare to have been able to push her so far. And now her brain was desperate for air, she gasped as much as she could, trying to take in air through the small gaps between her fingers. Doing her best to filter out the ash.

Flare and Trianna were in similar conditions. She looked around trying to locate the source of the smoke. It didn't take long for her watering eyes to find it. There was a massive clearing, artificially and hastily made. Many logs and stumps were still left lying on the ground. The clearing contained much more than just a camp for travelers. What they found was more along the lines of a war camp. Several dozen torches littered the area along with small campfires. A few giant fire pits were spread about the area, either holding several large animals roasting over the flames or a giant pot filled to the brim of some disgusting concoction.

The smell of the inhabitants hit them next. Sweat, iron and the wet hair of animals that didn't bathe. Scrapped together flags and symbols the area. Totems with skulls at the top were prominently featured. Effie climbed up a bit higher to find a better vantage point, Trianna and Flare followed closely behind on their own perches.

From her new vantage point, she could spy her first glimpses of the monsters that had taken refuge in the camp. There was the small, weak but incredibly numerous Gelbars. They had green wrinkled skin and a blue mane. Each had about the same intelligence of a small child. They weren't a threat on their own, but would easily overwhelm any fighter with sheer numbers and persistence alone.

There were also the several times larger and bulkier Oglesh. These looked much similar to a giant green egg with a shell made out of incredibly tough scaled hide and learned to unfurl itself with thick limbs. They were stronger and smarter than the Gelbars, and would often be the ones leading groups of Gelbars into battle. But despite their intelligence, they much preferred to use their overwhelming strength to beat down their problems into being solved.

Next were the massive giant brutes. The only way to describe them was too big. Every single one of their body features was filled to the brim with mass. The only thing that prevented them from being a giant white ball was their stuck on stubby limbs and the giant mouth with skyward facing tusks. Easily able to gut anybody in the way of their charge, the Orslen. They had a similar heritage to the Oglesh but contained none of the self-awareness. They could only listen to orders and attack. They normally wielded massive tree or log they found to use as a club. They didn't have the capacity to learn anything further than rushing or swinging whatever was in their hand. Thankfully, that was the extent of what they could do, or else very few military powers would be able to stop an army of well-trained Orslen.

Effie's eyes scanned around, past the many equipment racks of weapons and boxes of supplies. Trying to find the leader of this encampment. There had to have been some prominent monster or logistical brain behind them. Very few beings could lead this many monsters and organize them to such a degree. Even less could use magic powerful enough to completely cloak the area and hide the smoke from the many scouts and hunters that often patrolled the area.

They were too prepared and too close to Anu Arendel. Monsters had never made it within the boundaries of the Anchor Tree before, due to extremely careful patrols and misdirection. If they had managed this much and stayed entirely undetected, something serious was going down soon. They couldn't risk allowing them to complete whatever they were planning. It put too much risk on Anu Arendel.

Effie nods and steels her heart, hoping her assumption was right. Their numbers were much thinner than would be expected for a camp of this size. This must be a group of stragglers or defenders left behind. The main force had to have been off somewhere else. Perhaps scouting or completing one of their objectives. That would mean taking out their reinforcements, burning the camp and high tailing it back to Anu Arendel for backup would be their best course of actions.

The trio drew their bows together at Efthemia's signal. What they needed to do was cause chaos and confusion. Breaking the organization of bulk of their force out and driving them out of the camp. Any hunters on patrol would finish them off while Effie and the others would clean up the camp. She signaled with her hand the first few seconds of the countdown. Five. Four. Effie drew back her bowstring as does the others. They continued the countdown in their minds.

"Three. Two. O-" Her thoughts were immediately cut off as a massive force collides into the tree. Shaking up the loose fruit perched on the branches and throwing their balance off. She flailed trying to get her bearings. She managed to get a glimpse of an Orslen pulling back a massive club that embedded itself into the tree. It left a gaping gash in the tree. The Orslen hefted its club back and tensed its body, preparing for a second strike on the reeling tree.

The second blow landed before they could regain their composure. This time it brought the tree down to its knees and finally knocked down the Elves that had desperately clung to its branches. Trianna was launched out of the tree several yards away from them. Flare managed to catch a branch with her stomach and cling onto the tree. While Efthemia was thrown directly into a branch and tumbled down through many other branches of the tree on her way down. Her limbs flailed trying to find some purchase until she landed on the floor under her. Like an apple falling from a tree.

Her lungs burned and her limbs were stiff and on fire. Through the flashes of red and white that invaded her vision, she sat up. Instinctively, she wiped away the red liquid flowing over her eyes and looked up to see a log coming down towards her. In a single split-second decision, her body threw her to the side, away from the direct impact. But she wasn't prepared for the aftershock of the blow that threw her farther away.

With ragged breathes and ringing ears she clambered back up to her feet. The girl needed to get away as soon as possible. She staggered back and almost tripped over her own feet. She attempted once again to draw back her bow. But her aim wasn't steady enough and she couldn't muster enough force in her arms to let loose an effective shot. The arrow flipped through the air, less effective than a rock while the Orslen was readied itself to charge at her.

Through the haze of her mind, she could hear the buzz of horns. She looked past the Orslen saw the clamoring of the monsters that converged towards them. Any chance of their surprise attack working was completely shattered. The Orslen coming at her suddenly reeled back, roaring in pain as it fell back upon itself. An arrow dug deep into its eye. Effie's eyes traced the trajectory of the arrow and saw Flare shouting at her, notching another arrow in her bow and firing it at the mass charging them.

She needed to help Flare and get to safety. Gathering whatever strength was left in her burning legs she started a light jog towards the base of Flare's tree. The girl had jumped down a few branches and was reaching out her hand to help pull Effie up. Efthemia almost made it, she was close enough to see the expression on Flare's face. Going from a slight desperate hope and then turning to focus on something besides Effie, becoming fear and panic.

She shouted something again but Effie couldn't hear through the noise in her head. The only thing she could do was follow Flare's gaze and see a second Orslen step its way through the ash. It appeared almost out of nowhere. It must have stepped through the barrier and it wouldn't be alone. The main force had returned. The new Orslen was bigger than the last. And it lazily swiped at the ground with its club and cleaved through all the surrounding vegetation and trees. It tore out a chunk of Flare's tree and clipped Effie's body with the tail end of the blow.

The crack reverberated throughout her entire body as Efthemia once again experienced flight. Despite the pain, her eyes were locked onto Flare, who had fallen out of her tree. Effie opened her mouth to shout, trying desperately to make her body move, do something. To save her best friend that was currently falling into the grasp of that monster. "No…! Not again…!" Her worries and thoughts were quickly silenced as she was caught by a tree. She heard many things in her body snap.

Her mouth filled with iron. She spat the taste out of her mouth as best she could and wiped the blood out of her eyes. But nothing happened. She craned her head to look down at her body, her limbs no longer responded to her commands. Her right arm, where she was clipped was left at an impossible angle. Her eyes scanned the scene trying to find where Flare was. The tree she had fallen from was on the ground.

It took a few moments but she eventually found her. Flare was backing off slowly and being surrounded by monsters. If one of them attempted to advance they were immediately rewarded with an arrow into their head. But for each one that was shot, the others would take the chance to advance further on her while she reloaded. Effie's fingers twitched with a great amount of effort. Every single movement and slight shift in her muscles sent a new wave of pain through her.

Effie managed to sit up once again and plant the base of her bow into the ground. She desperately notched an arrow and pulled back the string as hard as she could. Putting the last ebbs of her strength into this shot to save Flare. She let it loose and the spine of her bow shattered in her hand. The tension from the bowstring caused the upper half to fling back and strike her in the shoulder.

The green arrow managed to fly true though and lodged itself in the back of an Orslen. It reeled and immediately turned around but none of the other monsters bothered to look. For a second she lost hope. Until the Orslen suddenly exploded in a flash of green light. Followed by the row of monsters surrounding Flare. Trianna took the opening instantly and swooped in to grab Flare, retreating back into the tree line somewhere with the girl.

Effie could only look on as the many torches in the area slowly burned out or were blown out by strong winds flowing through the area. The screams and shouts of monsters in pain echoed through the area. She looked away from the corpses of exploded remains and her eyes rested on even more corpses of monsters. All stuck full of arrows or pierced through with small familiar holes.

Looking past them she found who had massacred the monsters immediately surrounding them. She could hear the distinctive twang of his bowstring, firing faster than she could have ever believed. What fought the monsters was a figure with broad shoulders and billowing cape. Short blond hair and a beautifully made bow that ebbed and flowed with power running through its spine. During the barrage of arrows being unleashed upon the masses, he would occasionally pause for a single beat and fire an arrow that glowed green. It embedded itself into a target and bled it up with green energy a few moments later. The depths of his strength and magical prowess far outmatched anything she had seen before.

Within a few minutes, the forest fell back to silence. Only the crackling of the spare embers untouched by corpses or blood was heard. Night time officially fell on the world. The crescent moons traveling their way through the sky. The man came over to her and knelt down. His sharp features on his face and yellow eyes that glowed through the night inspected her carefully. She spied his long ears. "Serensiel… Are you alright?" He said, eyes filled with an unprecedented level of worry and concern for her wellbeing. A reaction she was not used to.

For perhaps a single moment, she could understand all the stories she heard about humans recounting tales of dashing young knights saving damsels in distress.

Her lack of a response spoke volumes to him, as his eyes went from someone who was fully present and consciously here to someone remembering an age a lifetime ago. His eyes hollowed and faded slightly, they filled with a deep sadness and regret while he smiled. "No, of course not. You aren't her. And you're definitely not alright." She could feel her body lifting again, but this time it didn't scare her. The adrenaline in her body finally expired and her consciousness began slipping. It lasted long enough to hear his final words: "I'll bring you to the entrance of Anu Arendel."

Fire, panic, adrenaline. Her eyes shot open and she sat up, her mind working at impossible speeds to collect as much information as possible. A bright light obscured her vision as she raised her arm to block out the light. But it didn't dim at all despite the arm in front of her eyes. It took a few moments for her to realize but her right arm hadn't moved at all. It was wrapped up into a thick cast and propped up in a sling. It refused to listen to any of her body's commands. She couldn't even feel the cast around it.

Her heightened and panicked breath soon regulated, the burst of energy faded off as quickly as it came. The bright light retreated and revealed itself to be merely a simple large lantern. Her tongue felt numb and thick and her mouth was dry. She examined her surroundings and the silk sheets tucked under her lower body. A bed. It wasn't built for comfort, the mattress was thick and had very little give, its pattern gave it a lot of drag. She was familiar with the bed's purpose, it kept patients from moving around too much.

She was in the Healer's infirmary. The girl sighed and shook her head, already knowing whose abode she was in. Not wanting to dwell on it, she focused on finding her belongings. They were laid out on a table next to her. Her clothes were tattered and stained. Destroyed beyond reasonable repair. It didn't bother her much since she had replacements but her bow wasn't something so easily replaced. She had spent several weeks carving and decorating it herself. Turning the bow from a personal project to a work of art. No other Elf could have a bow as beautiful, but here it was, in splinters before her. Despite all the time and effort she put into making it. What a waste of time.

"Tch…" Efthemia said under her breath and she turned away from them. The motion quickly reminded her of what transpired and drew her mind to worrying about Flare and Trianna. She traced back her steps through the chaos, trying to pinpoint whether or not they were okay. Theorizing the worst possible outcomes.

A shiver pulsed through Effie's body, instinctively making her curl up, suddenly taken aback by fear and guilt. If they died out there, their souls would never be able to return to the Tree of Life. They were too far away from Anu Arendel. The same as the others that haunted her mind day in and out. And it would be her fault, she was the one that brought them so far out. She could almost hear their voices now. They'll join the cacophony of wails that already tormented her mind.

"Effie… Effie!" A hand touched her shoulder and shook her gently. It dragged her out of her fears. Her gaze filled with a slender form and reddish – blue hair. Her eyes travelled up and met Flare's familiar red eyes. They looked at her with soft concern and completely melted away the fear Effie felt in her heart. Being replaced with thankfulness and then an echo of regret.

She could still see the long scars that peeked out from under Flare's collar and stretched up around her neck. Effie knew the full extent of the scars, they traveled from Flare's neck and all the way down her body. The sight of the beast's claws sinking into Flare's flesh. The sound of Flare's tearing flesh as she took the blow meant for her. The sensations were burned into her mind. Effie averts her gaze as the guilt mounts in her chest.

Flare was brushed aside by another person who entered the room. He was a tall male elf, one of the oldest elves still alive within Anu Arendel. Dressed in several layers of thick baggy robes. His clothes and its color like old graying bark reminded her of an ancient tree. He was one of the highest-ranking Elders and wielded a massive amount of political power. At the same time, he was one of the most gifted Healers to have ever graced Elven society. But before being an Elder or Healer, he was a father figure to her and her fellow sisters.

"Drink this," He said and placed a wooden bowl with a disgusting looking concoction in her hand.

Knowing better than to wait for him to force it down her throat himself. She swallowed it whole. And her sinuses suddenly cleared and burned, being filled with the overpowering aroma of hundreds of crushed and mixed herbs. Their pungent aura and taste causing her eyes to water as she retched.

"The rescue party we sent found you outside of the gate, unconscious. And the entire camp of monsters was completely wiped out." The Elder said, taking the moment of silence as his cue to get answers. "Did you take out all those monsters yourself and crawl your way back to Anu Arendel?" He asked a harmless question but she already knew where it had come from. Another story about her would be slowly spinning out of control before she could stop it.

Effie shook her head and managed to spit out a few words. "No, he did it… And brought me here."

"He?" The Elder raised an eyebrow, "A human?"

She shook her head again. "An Elf."

The Elder placed a hand on his chin for a few moments, pondering over several memories that came to his mind. Elves seldom grew facial hair and it seemed that despite his best efforts, he wasn't able to even accomplish a minimalistic beard to assist his old and wise appearance. "A male elf… The only other male elf still alive would be Yuvenciel. But we had exiled him centuries ago… Why would he return to our forest now?"

The Elder asked his question to the air, addressing the many memories and lifetimes of knowledge before him. But could find no satisfactory answer as his brow knitted together. "Could he be trying to assassinate the Queen again?" He began pacing as he considered the political consequences the Traitorous Elf's return. "Do we have the strength to be able to stop him? The entire Silver Crescent must be on active duty until we are sure he is gone."

She had only heard stories of their strength and might. The stories said that male elves were unusually gifted among all other Elves. Born only in times of great crisis and destruction, they were to be the heralds that would take back and reassert Elven society. Their affinities and the speed at which they picked up new skills and abilities far outpaced even the highly gifted elves. If such an important member of their race turned traitor, it would have shaken the very foundations of Elven society.

Suddenly, the flap that led to their room opened and a stream of Elves entered the room and swarmed around her bed. She recognized a lot of the faces, they were present in the crowd the other day. They asked dozens of questions and feigned concern and worry. She saw clearly that they didn't care for any answers she gave them. They were here for a different reason after all. One that would rear its ugly head soon.

The Elder was visibly shaken from his thoughts by the constant chattering of the Elves that entered the room. He never was good at handling the younger generations en masse. The Elder quickly left the room, oblivious to the fate he conscripted Efthemia to. Flare clung to Effie's free hand, holding it close to her chest. The comfort helped steel her heart for what would come soon.

"I didn't want to leave you back there… But Trianna told me that we wouldn't be able to save you alone… and that we had to go and get help."

Effie nodded, Trianned made the right call. Her situation wasn't one that could have been salvaged by the two on their own. She wished she could've wiped away the tears that were welling up in Flare's eyes. The girl didn't deserve to cry; it didn't fit her anymore.

Their moment of peace ended quickly, as their silence was taken as the perfect opening for the group of Elves to start their assault.

"So much for that Efthemia the Hero business."

"I thought you were supposed to be Blessed and better than all of us."

"Trianna has proven herself to be so much better than you."

"Hey, stop tha-" The quiet voice was quickly drowned out by the rest of the group, each chimed in their own insults down to Effie.

Flare's grip on her hand tightened considerably and her face turned downcast. Eyes shadowed over. She also went through something similar when she was recovering. Effie could only attempt to return the comfort Flare had supplied her while taking each hit that was laid out on her.

The crowd of Elves finished up and left together. The quiet girl stepped out of the Elder's abode and sighed deeply. The many Elves surrounding her quickly dispersed with short goodbyes. Her hands were shaking. They never stopped shaking. Ever since she watched those two fight for their lives while she did nothing. She couldn't even launch an arrow to help them.

All she did was take Flare and run away, leaving Efthemia behind without a second thought. The weight of her decision bore down on her. As well as even more weight from allowing them to speak like that to Effie. Her hands balled up into fists and she struck the wall next to her. A coward. That was all she was.

Decades ago.

"Where were you during the accursed Raid? Why weren't you with Nerwin?!" An older elf said, lifting Efthemia up by the collar. She wore the silver uniform donned by members of the Silver Crescent Archers and had several pieces of jewelry hanging off of her. She was scowling and her silver hair glowed and lifted off of her shoulders by some invisible wind. The assailant was flanked by several other veterans. "You were plenty old enough to fight, and you had your Grace by then!"

She continued, "I got stuck dealing with some stupid human conflicts and you stayed behind here, doing nothing and letting all of my sisters march to their deaths?!" Efthemia was shaken by the older Elf vigorously. The frustration caused creases to form on her face while she fought through tears. The others flanking her were similarly distraught. "Have you even seen the condition they were in…?"

Of course, Efthemia knew. She was the first person that saw them come back. She waited happily on the outskirts of the city for a happy reunion with Nerwin. But all she found was horror. The Elves, her close friends and sisters, were all severely wounded. Many of them were missing limbs or had their bodies scratched or torn up. Most of them were barely held together by hastily fashioned bandages and slings. A vast majority of their injuries and wounds hadn't even been treated, left to the open air as they trudged their way home.

There was only one thought on their mind. Return to Anu Arendel before they died, or their souls would wander for eternity. Despite that resolve, Efthemia could see that many had already perished. Some of the Elves were dragging the unconscious bodies or corpses of fellow Elves behind them, refusing to allow them to return to dust before returning home. But a few were too late, they carried boots or bags in their arms covered in a yellow dust of a sister that returned to the soil.

They were given emergency treatment immediately. Every single Healer working through the night to save as many Elves as they could. Their wails and cries kept the entire city awake through the agonizing nights. Slowly becoming more and more silenced as voices disappeared by the minute. They only talked about a Catastrophic Rain that had fallen upon them due to the actions of the humans. Like a plague.  
Even with the most experienced and skilled practitioners working nonstop. They couldn't save any of the Elves that had returned home. Their wounds began secreting a black miasma that slowly ate away at them and caused them indescribable amounts of pain. Some of them lasted so long that they couldn't even scream anymore, only having their eyes wide open in shock and horror until the poison finished its work and they faded into dust. A result of the Catastrophic Rain.

The only one who managed to pull through was Nerwin, who was now crowned as Queen Narsilia. But because of her appointment as Queen of the Elves, she was taken inside the Tree of Life and hadn't been seen since.

"You were her favorite student!" The hands clenched, tightening the collar of her clothes around Effie's neck. She could feel the strength in the Elf's fingers as the stitching on her clothes stretched and nearly snapped. "Even if she told you to stay, you should've begged to go. And then gone after her anyways!"

Efthemia couldn't say anything to defend herself. She would have given everything up to join Nerwin and her sisters in the Raid. Anything, to have stayed with her mentor and not lose her like Meriendel. The guilt and frustration silenced any fight left and she hung her head, accepting her punishment.

"You're just trash… The same as those humans that attacked us." The older elf threw Efthemia on the ground. A deep gash formed in the ground as she skidded through the mud. The elf scoffed and turned away, "You should have just gone and died with the rest of your generation. Coward. Deilophel."

The word tore her back into reality. She gasped for air, her one arm clawed at her chest to calm her galloping heart. Finally, the cold sweat settled in and her chest fell back into a gentle rhythm. It was not a nightmare but a memory.

She pulled herself out of the wooden bed. Shakily getting up on her feet. The streaks of yellow sunlight struck each of her few belongings. Several intricate wooden dressers, several beautiful handcrafted bows mounted on the walls with several quivers located around the room, a single table with all sorts of knick-knacks, crafts projects and a simple chair.

She limped over to the entrance to her abode, she looked outside. Many walkways and ramps sprawled across the giant trunk of the tree that lay below her. Several dozens elevated and suspended building were scattered all across the tree's branches, like hanging fruit off the tree. Thousands of elves gathered and lived on this tree which bore them.

Hundreds of ropes and chains suspended the buildings and anchors up in the air. Their society required a massive amount of balance and care to sustain proper functionality. Thus many anchoring weights and artistic objects were suspended from the tree alongside the buildings. She could see the giant tavern, a popular gathering place for the elves rouse itself from its early morning stupor.

She looked up into the branches of the tree, easily spying the many glowing orbs that clung to its branches. These were the fruits of the tree, where her fellow sisters would be borne. The Elves were born from the Tree of Life as fruits. Every few dozen years after the Tree of Life flowers and blossoms, the fruits fall and newborn Elves are left behind to be raised.

These Elves have purpose initially and would be assigned a guardian and mentor. One to teach them how to act and how think while the other passes down their trade or knowledge. Once they reached a sufficient age, the Elf is sent off outside of Anu Arendel to see the world. In search of their Telezia, their life's purpose. They would use the teachings of their seniors and any new knowledge gained from the outside, to attain independence and become their own Elf. Once they return home, they begin the final part in the cycle of an Elf's life. Returning to the soil and becoming a tree, as a reward for their hard work their soul is reborn as a nature spirit to nourish the forest.

But that tradition had died. It was from a time before the events of the Raid that claimed several generations of Elves. Now all that was left were Elves too old and jaded to understand the younger generation and a largely young population of Elves who never received the chance to be taught how to act or work Elven society. Both sides had harbored an intense and paranoid fear of humans and the outside, due to the Raid. They completely closed off access to and from Anu Arendel. No Elf had ever gone to search out for their Telezia in several decades.

Too many Elves were stuck inside Anu Arendel. Cramped and feeling too similar to all those around them. New knowledge and ideas wasn't brought back to improve Elven society as a whole. Thus, the Elves turned inwards towards themselves and became selfish. Closing themselves off and finding satisfaction in only feeling greater than the ones around them. Insults and political play became the norm all of a sudden as they stepped and stomped all over their sisters to reach the top of their imaginary rankings.

Efthemia scoffed and shook her head angrily at her reflection. Even she had been completely absorbed in their games, despite the fact that she had been raised by Meriendel be better. Her free hand thudded against her wall in frustration. She took part in this self-absorbed and selfish society and refused to look at what she had again. She wasn't any stronger or better than before, people could've died and their blood would have been on her hand again.

She looked back at her reflection. Finding hollow emptiness. There was something wrong, something within her that wasn't right. Whatever she was now, she wasn't satisfied with it and could no longer sit by and wait. She needed to find out what her purpose was, something to fill the void in her soul.

A thriving, effulgent forest. Trees bent their heads down in solemn respect. A clearing filled with the whispers of excited voices that surrounded three individuals. They were all dressed in similar clothes. It was a variant of the standard outfit worn by newborn Elves. But shortened and with much more freedom of movement. It had very few pieces that would fly around in the air and reduced any possible interference clothes could add. They were also sections of hardened and boiled leather on areas that didn't require much flexibility.

The Elder raised his arms, the winds blowing the dust out of his hands and spinning through the air. Several beautiful patterns formed and created a tapestry of pictures for the crowds before them. It recounted the creation of the world. Altea, the Goddess, with all of her love and power. Embraced our empty and cold world and breathed life into it. Magic. The sky, the land, the sea, everything began to change and surge forth with its new life. Until our land, Altera was formed. A myriad of races began to thrive and flourish, dotting themselves across the world. Soon, kingdoms and empires were formed.

The crowd surrounding them was enraptured. How many years had it been since they last saw this ritual? Efthemia tore her eyes away once the tapestry began going over the many different queens that led the Elven race. She saw Trianna and Flare around her with solemn faces. They were similarly looking around. Originally, she was very surprised that they had also decided to go through with this ritual on their own. But now that she was here, she was really glad that it was those two were beside her. She took a deep breath, tasting the stillness and anticipation in the air.

The dust suddenly became bright with colors and then took the forms of several spirits that protected the forest of the Elves. The spirits took the shape of their basic elemental forms. Efthemia clasped her hands together and prayed to the wind spirit before her, asking for strength and good luck. Trianna prayed to the fire spirit, asking for conviction and courage. Flare prayed to the Goddess, asking merely to be watched over.

The crowd parted and revealed the path of torches before them. The trio walked down the path. They formed an arrowhead for them to spear through the night and smoke. Several floral gateways lined the path of torches. The Elders followed closely behind them, allowing the group to travel at their own pace.

The deeper they traveled, the dimmer the torches became. Their orange illumination being replaced by the light of the moon above in the sky. Along with the fading of the torches, the crowds also thinned and eventually became nobody. Civilization fell behind them as they walked deep into the forest. The torch's lights being replaced with a soft blue flames that grew in intensity the further they dove.

The air began to hum with a strange energy and the last of their escorts waved off. Leaving only Efthemia, Trianna, Flare and the Elder to approach a giant temple. Built out of massive dark blue bricks laid together and carved directly from each other. Deep grooves and valleys were present in each brick, forming characters and symbols of a long forgotten language. It was once a place of worship, but it was now used as a staging area to complete their ritual.

Each individual elf enters and exit out the other side alone. Within they would prove their worth. "You will be faced with several different trials once you enter. Some may seem easy to you, but will impossible for others. Enter, face yourselves." The Elder said, gesturing towards the wide-open gates.

"_I was born from twisted fruit, never knowing what sight felt like, unlike all my other sisters." Meriendel's words floated gently through Effie's mind. Effie was much younger then, a child really. She always loved it when Meriendel told the little girl stories of her past. The hardships she overcame and the strength she held. Effie couldn't help but admire her mentor._

Effie limped through the gates of the building. They closed behind her with a resounding boom, cutting out all light in the area until her eyes adjusted to the dim light given off by the few hanging lanterns placed around the area. The green glow of the fireflies within did little though. The living glow of the blue electricity that pulsed through the building was more obvious than ever.

Each pulse shook the building with a gentle hum. She passed through a grand hallway that led to a massive open space that only contained a cage in the center. The new weight of her cast felt uncomfortable. It was larger than yesterday but the sling equalized the weight and made easy enough to lug around. She carried a simple small short bow she borrowed from Flare.

"_It crushed me... Until I felt something speak deep within my soul."_

The mechanical sounds of a chain being pulled and a gear system turning filled the room. The door of the cage rose up and a large mass shuffled pass the open gate. The squat form lumbered forth, dragging behind it a simple rudimentary club and a shield buckled to its arm. It was an Oglesh and not a particularly well kept one.

She couldn't allow herself to hesitate. A few days earlier she might have faltered, but her heart already knew what must be done. She tucked the bow under her broken arm and took out three arrows. Tucking one in between each of her fingers. Raising up her arm and using the spine of the bow as a lever she notched an arrow, holding the bow parallel to the floor.

Effie bit down on the notch she previously carved into the shaft of her arrow. All of her arrow shafts contained this indentation, it provided a more than adequate grip on the arrow shaft to pull it back with the bowstring. Her arm extends forward to continue stretching out the bowstring. Pulling it back with her head made it too difficult to aim. Since she couldn't use her arm to draw a bow, she found an alternative.

"_It told me that I had a purpose and I had to accomplish it."_

The monster was very large and filled out. Its muscles were deteriorated but still well defined. The round head and narrow slit eyes blinked at the lights gently illuminating the area. She could see the lines of thick square chomping teeth it had. It snapped a few times in the air then its nostrils flared as it smelled her presence. While intimidating, it had nothing on the Orslen and the group of monsters she faced before.

The closer the monster got the more its demeanor changed. Its eyes cleared and focused on her, it took a crouched stance and held the shield in front of its vital organs. This monster had combat experience against Elves. She needed one shot to land true to pass this trial. Effie loosed the arrow.

It whizzed through the air, the Oglesh recoiled but wasn't fast enough to avoid it. It missed its mark and embedded itself into the far edge of the monster's shield rather than its shoulder. Effie notched a second arrow and prepared to fire again while the monster started to begin a rush. It was not the fastest monster, but it was still unnerving to aim at something barreling towards her at full speed.

Her next shot contained much more force. The arrow became lodged halfway through its shield and nearly speared the monster's head through. It roared in anger, the force of the arrow only stopped its rush for a few moments before it continued. Efthemia cursed and prepared her final arrow but hesitated for a moment to consider stepping back a few more steps.

The single moment was all the monster needed for it to surprise her with a club flying towards her face. Her body reacted before her mind and recoiled backwards, barely managing to dodge it. She bent back forwards to see where the monster was, but it was already on top of her. It charged directly into her and struck her in the side with its shield. Right in her weak spot.

She was blown away to the side, rolling across the hard stone floor. The stones making the impact of the Oglesh's blow several times worse. She gasped, a squeak of pain escaping her lips as she rolled back onto her feet as soon as possible. Her assailant went to retrieve its lost weapon. Perhaps it thought she would've been on the ground for longer, but the past few days she's learned to deal with a few knocks on the head.

"_My fortune and fate was left to my own actions. If I wanted to be seen as an equal, I had to put in the work to be their equal. That was my Telezia."_

She notched her next arrow and fired, this one landing true and hit the Oglesh squarely in the shoulder blade. The force of the arrow caused it to stagger forth onto its club. Instead of taking the time to rush the downed monster she instead focused on preparing for her next attack. Drawing out several more arrows and held them in her free hand. She slipped her arm out of the sling and let the massive weight hang by her side. She inserted an arrow under one of the bandage straps in her cast, and made a tilted cross with her cast and the arrow shaft. She readied herself for the Oglesh who was coming at her yet again.

The club raised over its head and back down to smash her flat. But Effie easily sidestepped, the momentum threw her close into the monster. The extra stones in her cast added a much-needed counterbalance and weight to the spin she found herself in and brought down her arm into the Oglesh's side. Burying the head of the arrow deep into its ribcage before the head broke off.

Effie had heard about a tactic often used by humans, where their arrows were meant to break after use so the enemy wouldn't get ammunition to fire back at them. Many of her sisters would not have understood the usage of such a tactic, to make weak and flimsy arrows that might not even withstand being launched. But now she could understand it.

The monster threw a blind swipe at her that was once again easily dodged as it staggered back, a hand on its side while Effie threw the broken shaft away and prepared another arrow. She couldn't wait for it to come up with a new tactic to hit her with, so she dashed in under its horizontal swipe towards her and landed another hard blow to its stomach. She could smell its stench as her face was inches away from its body.

_The tiny little elf loved the little story. It gave her purpose in what would otherwise seem like a meaningless existence. She had fully believed in the concept of one's Telezia. That each individual had a purpose. _

The monster grunted and retched from the blow. Its already empty stomach became more aggravated, but despite the arrowheads stuck inside its guts, it didn't falter this time. Instead, its arms came down right around her and pinned her up against its scaly body. The grapple it had her in tightened as the club clattered against the floor.

"Gah!" She said, feeling something from within her crack again as its grip continued to tighten. She squirmed, desperately trying to wiggle her way out of its grasp. Lights flashed and her vision dimmed again before becoming reddened.

She pulled another arrow out and stabbed it into the inner side of the joint connecting his upper and lower forearm. Twisting it and bearing with the hot blood that began to splash down towards her. The monster's arm loosened as control over its arm was lost and Effie managed to squeeze her way out. Her eyes were wild, rather than back off to recover she instead rushed back in towards the beast and crashed into it with all the might her legs could possibly muster.

_The Effie from back then was too naïve though. Too soft, she believed the world would grant her the rewards she felt she deserved but never earned. She hadn't worked for any of the gifts or powers she was given, and in turn, stagnated. She didn't hear the proper words of her mentor. She had to make a purpose with her own hands. _

She abandoned her weapon as well, shoving an arrow into the back of its knee and snapping the head off. The beast toppled over onto its back and she pounced over it, slamming her legs down on its arms to pin it for a moment while she raised her casted arm and brought it down on the beast's head. The extra weight of the added rocks caused it to come back up bloody. One strike wouldn't have been enough though as she brought down her rudimentary club yet again on the best. She could only see red as she beat him mercilessly into the ground until it no longer would move and she could no longer feel its body heat.

Effie rolled herself off its corpse and screamed, the pure adrenaline in her system drained away with her expression of pure instinct. The red in her vision soon glazed over to be replaced by stars. She looked up to the dim ceiling, tiny little specks of light barely showing through. She was weak, unbearably weak and she allowed her growth to be stunted for nothing more than imaginary status that meant nothing. She failed Meriendel and Nerwin, the people she had looked up to the most. Flare was nearly killed twice, her best friend. The blood of dozens of her sisters was on her hands. All of it all because she didn't have the strength to do anything.

She collapsed to her knees and sobbed gently. The final memory of her mentor flashed through her mind.

_A soft golden day. The sun falling over the horizon and the shining particles floating through the air carried a light glow to them. The air smelled like sunflowers and the soothing breeze swept through the plains. A small Effie frolicked in the fields while an older Elf sat on a log, face to the sky. Her eyes looked as if they were scarred shut. Meriendel. "I can feel the wind in my hair, the sun on my back and the tickling of each little seed spreading throughout the air. I can feel all of nature moving around me. Living and breathing. But nothing has ever made me envy my fellow sisters like this. They are able to see you, my dear little Effie. And now, I may never get the chance to." Her eyes turned downcast, if she could have, she would have been crying. "Anu Arendel needs someone to bridge a peace between us and the humans, else we shall all perish. But I cannot stand the thought of leaving you behind… Or taking you with me to witness the depths of the outside world."_

"_You will see me! I'll visit you once I'm big and find my Telesi! Like you!" Effie said, a naïve and foolhardy promise of a child. But to Meriendel, it was strength for her heart. She smiled through her tears and nodded. _

With a forgotten promise etched into her heart, the final gate opened, flooding the room in light.

A while had passed from when Efthemia entered the temple. It took a short time but soon she received the all-clear sign to enter through the giant gates. They shut behind Trianna. The clothes she was wore were uncomfortable and didn't fit her right at all and the building they were in had quite a gaudy design. Built only to impress rather than show any semblance of fashion or practicality. The exact kind of things she despised.

The monster she faced wasn't a problem. She shrugged it off easily and moved on. Leaving behind a corpse peppered with arrows, enough for it to look like a pincushion. She looked around and waited for a few moments before stepping deeper into the building.

"_That little prima donna deserved what she got."_ A familiar voice called out to her in the dark. Trianna flipped around, suddenly feeling hundreds of eyes upon her. Her skin stood on end and the room began to fill more with a thin fog.

"_I'm so much better than her."_ It said. A distinctively female voice that continued to taunt and goad her from somewhere within the room. All at once seeming to be all around her and nowhere at the same time. _"I would have been able to save all the Elves she left behind."_

She spun around and screamed out, "Where are you?! Who are you?!"

"_Isn't she supposed to have been blessed?"_ A wisp formed in the air, taking on the figure of an Elf. Her silhouette. Trianna rushed at it and swung her bow, instantly scattering the fog. But it quickly reformed a few feet away from her. _"If I had her gifts I would've been able to make full use of it. I could've been the hero."_

"Stop…" She said, firing an arrow through the wispy figure. But another one formed yet again. Every second it absorbed more of the fog, the clearer and more defined its features became. "Don't say it…"

"_Efthemia the Heroine, the one who finally slew the Silosen that had tormented our people for decades."_ The fog said, clasping its hands together in clear mockery. She could clearly see her clothes. Her hair, her bow, and her black heart.

"Shut up!" Trianna covered her ears and curled into a ball, shouting incoherent nothings to herself block out everything around her.

All she achieved was silence though. An unnerving unending silence. The air didn't move. She couldn't hear anything. There was no smoke, no smell nothing around her. Keeping her eyes closed and staying within the void set her heart pounding. In only a few moments, the quiet of her mind echoed the same words as the voice.

Slowly, her head inches itself out of her hands and she opened her eyes. She was surrounded by hundreds of the wisps. Hundreds of separate faces and clothes and hairstyles among them all. They contained only one common feature among them all, long ears. Trianna fell back, through several of the wisps that surrounded her and crawled back in fear. She was surrounded by her ancestors and they were all looking down on her with the same expression. Disappointment.

She threw her bow in a futile attempt to save herself, scattering only a few of the ghosts who had continued to stare at her. She put her head between her knees and hugged herself. Breathing heavily until the beating of her heart calmed.

"You dared them to do something that you yourself dared not do. You mask your weakness with the beliefs that you have strength and independence. But in reality…"

"I know." She said, stopping the spirits from continuing any further. "I am nothing more than a mere coward." She stepped up on one knee, "Mistaking my own pride and selfishness for strength and independence." She got up onto her feet. "I know I'm just a fool. Afraid I have no worth and instead put others in the way of harm when I was the one who should've been in their place."

Trianna looked up, face to face with only a mirror image of herself. "But, I have to at least have the strength to face the consequences of my cowardice. And then move forward." She said, walking forward through the spirit as the final gate opens up before her. Flooding the hall in light and banishing the fog to whence it came.

The door shut behind her. She looked around with a smile on her face and skipped around the massive room. Exploring every single nook and cranny the building had to offer. Examining each of the cracks and holes for several minutes until she got bored of it.

She looked around, a bit confused as to why nothing was happening to her. She took another lap around the entire room, wondering if there was something she missed. And did it again.

She decided to sit down in the center of the room and wait. But her impatience got the best of her and she took yet another lap, going the opposite direction this time.

She sat down. Waiting for longer this time. And then gets up, zig-zagging through the room. She went through several other patterns, anything. Racking her head for any ideas.

She pounded on the walls and yelled out, shouting for help or assistance.

But nobody answered.

If felt like hours passed. She had gone through several different stages of desperation. Angrily beating on the doors trying to force them open, bursting into tears and wallowing in her sorrow, trying to rationalize any meaning or secret to what she was experiencing, begging for anybody somebody to speak to her, and curling into a ball and accepting that she would be stuck here forever.

Time passed. More time passed. Restlessness and dissatisfaction settled into her heart. She sat up and shook her head. She refused to give up here. Something as small as this shouldn't have been able to stop her. The very fact that her heart had wavered this much when Effie was waiting for her as patiently as ever. When Effie had been the one shouldering all of the pain and burden of her own actions. When Effie still needed her.

Giving up now would have been a disservice to her. Flare got up to her feet and walked up to the exit door, without a single falter in her step or doubt in her heart. She knew her conviction. While it might not have been completely cemented in stone yet, she still knew what she needed to do.

Her purpose drove her forward, through the door that opened before her. Flooding the room in light.

The three of them were on the other side of the temple now. They stood in a wide clearing with several blue pillars and obelisks setup around the area. Their only company was the Elder, who was grinning from ear to ear. He reached out and pulled all three of them into a tight hug, and despite their solemn faces, they still managed to wear a soft smile from his affection.

"I don't think you truly understand how proud I am of all of you." He said, looking at all three of them and placing his hands on Effie and Trianna's shoulders. Flare was between them. "You all now have an idea of what you're missing. And what you will need to seek out to fill that void you feel in your souls."

"You may not realize this yet, but Elven society has fallen from grace." The Elder continued, "There are too many Elves. It may seem unnatural for us Elves to face this issue rather than humans, but it is true. Too many are without a purpose or drive to contribute to society." His face was grim and serious, addressing them as clearly as he could. "We cannot support this trend for much longer. We were going to have to make some very hard decisions soon…"

"But now that we have you, some of the most gifted and well-known Elves. Our prayers to the Goddess have been answered!" He said, his smile returning and the energy of a much younger enthusiastic man shone in his eyes. "You three will be the ones that'll usher in a new age of the Elves, where we finally come back to grace."

"It must have been fate. Your Telezia for you to come together and each choose of your own volition to do this. If you could go out and find your Telezia, and return safe and sound. It would embolden and push the others into action. Spurring them forward with courage in their hearts rather than fear and paranoia holding them back." He explained to them, shaking their shoulders in his excitement.

He calmed down quickly. "But, if we are to secure this bright future and save Elven-kind. We must secure peace between us and the humans. Thus, you three will become the ambassadors of Anu Arendel, representing Queen Narsilia." The trio collectively gasped. They hadn't expected an idealistic pipe dream of a bygone period to have suddenly become a legitimate and real mission.

Their faces scrunched up with worry, they all felt that didn't deserve such a high level of trust. "She has been watching over you all for your whole lives, and believes you three to be trustworthy enough take on this mission." They looked to each other, and suddenly their hearts reached its answer. They trusted each other to do what was needed.

"Will you accept this mission? Your journey to find your Telezia will also decide the future of our people."

There was only one answer that beat in their hearts together. "Yes."

28


End file.
